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Tottenham Hotspur (Spurs) Football Club is located in North London. The club is also known as Spurs. Tottenham's home ground is White Hart Lane. The club motto is Audere est Facere (To dare is to do).

OPTA PREVIEW: Spurs v Boro, Carling Cup

With Christmas just days away, the Premiership’s own version of Scrooge travel south to play a Tottenham Hotspur side who are once again showing amazing inconsistency.

It has been 645 minutes since Wigan Athletic’s Jimmy Bullard became the last player to score against the Middlesbrough defence, who have now equalled a club record of seven consecutive league sheets.

Expect plenty of long range shooting at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night as Spurs, who have allowed the highest proportion of shots from outside the area (69%) of any Premiership team, come up against an away side who have the highest percentage of shots from outside the area (also 69%). David Pleat’s side were punished in spectacular fashion on Saturday against Boro’s North-East rivals Newcastle United, by two sublime Laurent Robert strikes.

Tottenham and Middlesbrough have been drawn against each other six times in the FA cup and League cup with the Londoners winning through in five of the ties. Middlesbrough’s only success came in the 1974/75 season with a stunning 4-0 victory at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham have lost just once in their last 16 home Premiership matches in December and without a draw in their last eight games in all competitions the Spurs faithful should at least get home in time to watch the highlights on television. Spurs last draw was at home to Middlesbrough at the end of October.

Middlesbrough are the lowest Premiership scorers so far this season with just 12 goals from 16 matches and Boro have traditionally struggled on their travels in December, winning just two of their last 21 away Premiership games in the festive month.

As Tottenham seek their fourth League Cup triumph and Middlesbrough their first, both sides will see this competition as their best chance of silverware and a route into next season’s UEFA Cup.